The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-12
Here lies
JILL,
Who saved the life of
job n O'NEIL,
of Hatteras.
He was murdered at the New York
dog pound for 30 cents.
POISON IN HER TEA.

A Prima Donna's Adventure in a
Queer Establishment.
''When first went to Europe. said Nine.
Nevada to a New York Nail correspondent
the other day, II studied for three years in
Vienna, and for the first few months l
boarded with woman who took advantage
of my inexperience to impose on me in every
way possible; in fact l paid very high price
and was almost starved As | think
of that place now, it makes me shud-
der The mother was perfect old
bag, who went about the house in
ragged old petticoat, with her black
hair tumbling down over her face and
shoulders in an untidy mass, and a pair of
little rats eyes peeping out at you from
among the yellow wrinkles. Really, the
things that used to take place in that family
are incredible. There were two grown up
daughters, and | would sometimes enter the
parlor and find one of them sitting quietly
under the piano, doing nothing, apparently,
and often | would be awakened at night by
strange sounds, screams, mems voices,
threats and oaths. | was only - years old
at the time, and was too timid or unsus-
picious to say anything about this, but the
worst thing of all was the food which they
gave me. There was only one kind of meat,
and that | had never been able to ca !. 1t
was pork | was ashamed to complain but
would cover the piece on my plate with po-
tatoes or bread and leave the table
almosJ furnished This went on for some
weeks, until finally | became so pale and
weak that my teacher noticed the change
and asked me about it | told him how it
was, and he said that | must go home at
once and order some proper food. Well at
last | screwed up my courage, and one day
| said to the servant that had to sing at a
concert that night, and wished her to cook
re beefsteak and bring il to my room.
: he old woman happened to be out at the
time, so succeeded in getting the steak,
and | assure you | ate it ravenously. Then
| started off for the concert, congratulating
myself on having managed the thing so
well. However, | had no sooner en-
tered the house than the old woman
came hobbling up to me, seized me
by the arm, forced me into corner and
commenced abusing and insulting me in the
most abominable way | was SO terrified
that forgot my timidity and managed in
some way to tear myself from her, and to
rush to my room. where bolted the door,
and then sank down ON the floor in hyster-
les. Finally | grew calmer, and began TO
think out what l had better do. 1t was
already past midnight, but l commenced
packing up my things at once, resolved to
leave the house at daybreak. At about
O'Clock i'll the morning, ! feel asleep from
sheer exhaustion and | dreamed that |
saw the old bag standing by the stove in the
kitchen making some tea. ] followed each
one of her movements, and at last saw her
fill cup from the teapot and carry this in
ner hand to the cupboard. There she reached
up to high shelf and took down a bottle
marked poison from which she poured a
few drops into the cup. Then she put the
bottle away carefully and came up stairs to
my room carrying the tea and knocked at
the door.
''At this point, awoke with an awful
fright, and at once looked at my clock it
was Just g and the day was breaking |
arose, bathed my face and was about to re-
sumo my packing, when there came a
knock at my door. | asked who was there
and a high, piercing voice, which l recog-
nized only too well replied: 1t is |, my
dear. | have brought you a cup of tea;
open the door, 1t is needless to say that |
did not do it, She continued knocking, and
begged me TO let her in, but. of course, l
refused. Then she threatened me, and
poured forth the foulest language | have
ever heard, and at last she came back to
persuasion, saying, and can never forget
her words. i am here on my knees like a
dog, and | implore YOU only to taste this
tea which | have for YOU
''You can imagine what state l was in
by this time. / was perfectly desperate,
and after waiting for two or three hours
listening and hardly daring to breathe, |
cautiously opened my door and made a rush
for the street There were three flights of
stairs TO descend and at the bottom of the
second one met the old woman, glaring at
me like fiend / don't know how l ever
did it. but in some way | was given the
strength TO push her out of my way, and |
escaped, leaving her stretched at full length
on the floor"
"And what happened after thatF' asked
"Oh, | simply got an officer to go there
and carry of my things. OF course had
no interest in putting the woman in prison
or anything of that sort; but don't you call
that case of supernatural warning"